Refugee’s risk in Eritrea leads to happy life in Santa Rosa

Girmai Araya plays with his 5-month-old granddaughter Elizabeth Sikes at his home in Santa Rosa, California on Wednesday, November 25, 2015. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)

Not everyone he knew in the Sudanese refugee camp supported Girmai Araya’s decision to seek refuge in the United States in 1984.“They said, ‘You don’t want to go to America. You’re gonna wash dogs, you’re gonna wash horses.’ It was scary,” said Girmai, seated with his wife, Lavonne, in their Roseland home of nearly 30 years.“But I tell all my friends, ‘If you want to go out of this, you just got to go. You never know what’s out there, but you got to take a risk. And I’m going,’” he said.

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